ST. GEORGE — Staff at Zion National Park leapt into action Friday afternoon when it was reported that multiple people had been swept away in a flash flood in The Narrows area of the park. They would go on to assist a hiker who have been taken downstream by flood waters and also find a group of stranded hikers.
Update Aug. 20 11 a.m. Zion National Park made two announcements on Twitter Saturday morning.
“Following a search and rescue operation that began on Friday, August 19, the Narrows and Riverside Walk will remain closed. The Zion Search and Rescue Team will continue to search for a missing person on Saturday, Aug. 20.”
National park officials announced over Twitter just after 4 p.m. Friday that shuttle service had been temporarily suspended. Park visitors were also being moved south on Zion Canyon Scenic Drive while park staff took part in search and rescue operations on the Virgin River following a flash flood incident.
Park rangers began to get reports of hikers being swept away by flooding around 2:15 p.m. near the Temple of Sinawava, Jonathan Schafer, the parks public affairs specialist, told news media.
While engaged in search and rescue operations park rangers did find a group of hikers who became stranded by the flooding. They were instructed to stay put until the flooding receded.
Park rangers did find and assist an injured hiker who was swept downstream several hundred yards by the flash flood, Schafer told St. George News late Friday.
Schafer did not go into detail on the hiker’s condition, though noted they were taken to the hospital by an National Park Service ambulance.
Members of the Washington County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue team and Hurricane Valley Fire and Rescue were called in to assist park personnel. They and park rangers were staged along various parts of the Virgin River with rescue equipment while watching for anyone who may have been taken by the flooding.
Parties of visitors at the exit of The Narrows were also interviewed by park staff to see if anyone was missing, Schafer said.
The National Weather Service out of Salt Lake City issued a flash flood warning for the Virgin River Narrows and Springdale area around 1 p.m. that lasted till 5 p.m. Much of Washington County was also placed under a flood watch that afternoon.
Weather service meteorologists say the same potential for flash flooding that existed in Zion and other slot canyons Friday also exists Saturday, with the conditions for flash flooding expected mainly after 3 p.m.
Ed. note: The gender of the injured hiker was originally reported in error and was not specified by the National Park Service.
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